Geraint Jones has hailed Kent’s record winning game against Sussex Sharks as one of the best games he’s ever been involved in.

Jones skippered the side in James Tredwell’s absence as the Spitfires successfully chased down the 337 to beat the Sussex Sharks in the YB40 game on Wednesday night.

In what turned out to be a world record winning run chase in 40 over cricket, Jones must have thought he had made the wrong decision to insert Sussex after having won the toss, but was there at the end to see his side home as they won by three wickets with nine balls to spare.

With fans having gone away from the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence elated with what they had seen, Jones explained to KSN how he felt the game will live long in his memory:

“In white ball cricket, it’s got to be up there, although my memory for games is pretty dreadful! To chase down 336 in a 40 over game was incredible and came on the back of two fantastic knocks from Sam and Stevo.”

“We knew it was a big mountain to climb, but with the form Steo has been in, that’s all it takes.”

“Keysey came off the back of 144 not long ago, Sam has been working hard and has been in decent touch, so as much as you have a bit of doubt, you have that glimmer of hope what did happen, does happen.”

Jones is hoping Wednesday night’s victory proves to be a turning point in Kent’s season after a sticky start to the campaign and believes a result like this could inspire the side for the rest of the year:

“Anyone that came to the game got great value and has seen what we are capable of, so you’d like to think they will come back and watch us again.”

“The wicket was incredible and to get 670 runs was amazing and full credit must go to the groundsmen for that.”

“Leading into the Twenty 20’s, hopefully it has provided us with a spark and gets people interested. Ultimately, we need people coming through the gates and we need to be playing like we have against Sussex.”

The Kent keeper also wanted to praise regular skipper James Tredwell for his man of the match performance for England against South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy earlier in the day:

“It’s good for him as he puts in the work like no one else. He deserved it and deserves everything he gets. I’m looking forward to him coming back, but hopefully he goes one better than I did and wins that Champions Trophy.”

“I got to the final and lost it, but hopefully he goes one better and brings home a trophy for his bedside cabinet!”

Jones is set to sit out Saturday’s T20 game against the touring New Zealand side at Canterbury allowing Sam Billings to come into the side and he feels it is the right decision to have a rest ahead of the Twenty 20 campaign starting next week:

“It’ll be good for me to have about ten days rest before we get into a really busy period and gives others a chance to come in and show what they can do.”

“This last game was played at the same sort of pace T20 is played at, so for the guys to have played as well as we have is encouraging.”

“We know we are under par with the bowling. In all white ball cricket this year, we know we haven’t been at our best, or anywhere near our best, but that’s good as we know we can step up.”

“The way we have fielded this year has been superb and the way we have batted has been right up there, but we know we can do better with the ball.”

With the side poised to sign an international bowler, Jones believes it will come just at the right time for the side and will benefit some of the younger members of the squad:

“You want competition for places and everyone else has an overseas player pretty much, so it will be great to compete on a level playing field.”

“When I get to shake the man’s hand, that’s when I will be happy, that he’s here!”

“It’s what we need. Potentially a world class bowler to lead our attack for a while so the likes of Calum Haggett can learn from it, Matt Coles can watch, play and learn from it.”

“We’ve got experience that we have brought in, but ultimately the youngsters are the future and they will learn loads from an international player.”

Picture supplied by www.sarahansellphotography.com